Bodies and Broccoli
by Lizzy Sidle
Summary: Nick goes missing in the middle of a Nevadan rainforest, Sara adopts a new fetish with broccoli, and some strange people from Chicago are called in to help! Strange, I know, but this is based on a dream, okay?
1. ChittyChittyBangBangBOOM

**Chapter One**

_**Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang-BOOM!**_

A tan, mud-caked jeep hastily wound its way down a filthy, dirt road in the middle of a dense expanse of rainforest. Muddy water and debris flew up behind its tires as its driver rounded a tight corner with precision.

"Work, you stupid radio!" Nick Stokes pounded his heavy fist upon the jeep's dashboard. Dots of mud flecked his short, brown hair, and bits of leaves and twigs stuck to his muscular arms as he drove along the pathway. The topless jeep allowed the remnants of his driving to fly into the vehicle.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid!" he cried, smacking the dash with each syllable. All that was heard from its speakers were the faint echoes of what could be static.

Nick halted his frustrated actions and stared partially at the faulty radio and partially at the crude road ahead. Why? Why must the radio refuse to work on long car trips like this? He had spent the last half-hour driving through the rugged terrain of the Nevadan rainforest, searching for the corpse of a dead elderly woman Brass had phoned in about. Why there was a rainforest in the middle of arid Nevada was another question Nick wanted answered. However, what was much more important at present was the fact that he had no musical entertainment to satisfy his boredom.

"WORK!" he shouted in a final, futile attempt. Nothing but an increase in the volume of static reached his ears. Nick breathed heatedly through his nose as the jeep rounded another sharp turn.

"You _know_ what?" he muttered aloud to himself. "I'm just going to make my _own _music! So _there_ you stupid radio!"

The machinery didn't respond.

"Ooohhh…" Nick began, undulating the note as the car dipped into a pothole. He searched his mind for a song beginning with the note he had uttered and began singing the first one that came to mind. "Chitty-Chitty Bang-Bang, Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang we love you, Hey, ho! Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang…something, something, something! We love you!"

He continued as further palm fronds scratched his face, wetting it with tiny fragments of green. "Hey, ho Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang!" he shouted stridently, as if in spite of the failing speaker-system. Nick closed his eyes in a slight passion for the song, or perhaps for finally foiling the radio's diabolical plan.

"Chitty—"

CRASH!

Quite unexpectedly, Nick's jeep rammed forcefully into the felled trunk of a tree, tumbling sideways down a slippery, foliage covered slope. It rolled slowly to a stop at the foot of the hill, and Nick's seat ejected him powerfully, sending his unhurt body through the wall of dense forest.

**Why is there a dead woman in Nevada? Why did Nick sing Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang? And most importantly, why is there a rainforest in Nevada! Stay tuned and find out!**


	2. Those People in Chicago

**Chapter Two**

_**Those People in Chicago**_

Grissom was worried. He was very worried. No, scratch that, he was out of his mind with worry. He was pacing nervously around a small, steal interrogation room, hand stroking his chin, his other placed behind his back. Sitting calmly at the table in the center of the room was Sara, hunkered over a plate of broccoli, spork in hand, shoveling it into her mouth, and chewing slowly.

"Grissom..." Sara said, trying her best not to spray food everywhere as she talked with her mouth full.

The man stopped in his tracks and turned to her, staring at her as though he had never quite seen her before.

"Grissom, what are you doing?" Sara asked. She shoveled another sporkful of broccoli into her mouth and chewed again. Grissom paid no heed to her comment, and instead grabbed a deserted fold-up chair from the corner and dragged it to the table.

He plopped down into it and folded his hands atop the metal table between the two of them.

"Sara, answer this for me," he ordered softly. "_Why_ are we in the interrogation room?"

Sara swallowed half of her mouthful, then pointed her spork at him, almost accusingly.

"Because…" She quickly swallowed the rest. "Because Ecklie's in the breakroom. You were the one who suggested it, Grissom."

"Oh, right…" Grissom twiddled his thumbs, staring curiously at the plate of green vegetable Sara was eating from. "I have another question."

"Fire away."

She continued eating, though the mound appeared not to dissipate in the slightest.

"Why are you eating broccoli?"

Sara's eyes turned wild, the syrupy brown color crackling into a hardened chocolate. Her shoulders seized and her hands shot forward, snatching the platter from the table and pulling backwards.

"MINE!" she snarled. However, the force of her arms shooting backwards caused the fold-up chair to close against itself and clatter to the ground, with Sara still on top.

"Sara?" Grissom stood up, his face panicked, gazing over the table down to the floor on the opposite side of the surface. "Are you all right?"

Sara sat there on the ground, two hands held high, gripping tightly to the un-spilled plate of broccoli.

"It's okay, nobody panic. I didn't spill it." Sara declared, raising herself up from the ground, carefully balancing the broccoli.

"Are you _sure_ you're all right?"

"_Yes_ Mr. Worrypants!" She stood up properly and placed the plate back onto the silver surface. "_Don't_ you dare touch that broccoli or I'll snap your hand off...with my mouth."

"Okay…I won't touch the broccoli."

"I mean it."

"I wouldn't doubt that."

Sara, keeping a wary eye on Grissom, bent down to the ground and lifted the collapsed chair from the floor, unfolding it, and sitting again.

"Anyway Sara….I have another question."

"Okay."

"Where's Warrick? And Where is Catherine?"

"Ummm…"

"You're _supposed _to _know_ these things!" Grissom cried fearfully.

"Gimme a second, geez." Sara cried. She sat in thought, nibbling on a stalk of broccoli in the meantime. "Umm…I think Catherine said something about a crime scene in the mountains…and she and Warrick went up there to process."

"Uh-huh…" Grissom mumbled skeptically. "And…wasn't Nick out on a case as well?"

Sara nodded, her mouth bulging with broccoli once more.

"And…why isn't he back?"

Sara stared at Grissom, gulped down her food, then glanced at her watch.

"Because…umm…because…"

"I told you you're supposed to know!"

"And I told you to give me a second!"

"One…two…three…That's three, two more than you asked for, now give me an answer!"

"All I know is that he was driving one of the new jeeps through that rainforest over by the strip!"

"Riiight…"

"He is!"

"And you still haven't answered my original question."

"I don't know why he isn't back."

"It's been a whole 15 minutes! How can he still be there?"

"Why don't you call him?"

"Because cell-phones are a conspiracy."

Sara stared at him, her mouth hanging partially open.

"I'm going to go find a payphone and call those people in Chicago."

"People in Chicago?"

"Yeah, you know…those people…that live in Chicago…"

"Whatever Grissom." Sara sighed and dug into her broccoli again.

Grissom stood up and walked out of the room, digging through his pockets for change. He rounded a corner and headed towards the lobby where he knew a payphone resided.

"Hello? Chicago Crime Lab. This is Supervisor Elizabeth Keller speaking, how may I help you?"

Elizabeth sat at her desk quietly, milling over piles of overdue supervisor reports. Her lengthy ashen-blonde hair was pulled into a low ponytail at the back of her head, tumbling down over her baby blue, long-sleeved, t-shirt to her mid-back.

"Liz?"

"My God, Grissom? Is that you? I haven't seen you since…that one seminar, back in April of last year!"

"Yeah, I know. Supervisor at age 28? You've made it far."

"I didn't have to do much. Just hire a couple of hitmen to go kill a couple of people and it all worked out."

"Very funny."

"I try Grissom."

"Anyway, to cut to the chase…I have an issue that needs to be sorted out immediately."

"What sort of problem?"

"A…er…just—"

Suddenly, a redhead showed up in the doorway. Her oval glasses were resting on a slightly hooked nose dotted with orange freckles. Her shoulder-length, flatiron straight hair was tucked behind her ears and a smirk revealing crooked teeth crossed her smug face.

"Who're you talking to Liz?" she asked, crossing her arms and leaning against the frame.

"Hold on a second Grissom…" Liz covered the phone with a cupped hand, then said to the woman, "Nobody Mindy, go away."

"Grissom? Who's that, your ex?"

"No!"

"Grissom, Liz loves you!"

"Mindy, I swear if you say anymore I will fire you and _personally _make sure you never get a job in Illinois again!"

Mindy shut up, but walked further into the room, seating herself in a chair on the opposite side of Liz's desk.

"Sorry about that Grissom…"

"Who was that, your colleague?"

"You could say that."

"Did she help you get to your position?"

"Well with competition like her it's not really that hard."

"Oh, I see."

"Anyway…yes, what's the problem?"

"Put me on speakerphone."

"Grissom, do I—"

"YES you have to!"

Liz rolled her eyes, but pressed the button despite her reluctance.

"Mindy?" Grissom called over the intercom.

"Oh…You sound sexy."

"Mindy!" Liz snapped.

"What?"

"Be respectful! This is Dr. Grissom from that seminar you missed."

"Whoops."

"Yeah, _whoops._"

"Ladies, are you still with me?"

"Yes Grissom." Liz muttered.

"We have a problem over here in Vegas."

"I've heard." Liz acknowledged. "Now do you ever plan on telling us what it is or are you just going to broadcast the basics to everyone you've ever met?"

"Nick is missing."

"Oh…Nick?" Mindy piped in. "He's hot!"

Liz's gaze snapped to Mindy.

"Wait a _minute_. You _did_ go to that seminar! But…but you were busy over at the actual crime-lab staring at _Nick_ the whole time, weren't you?"

Mindy blushed then said, "Meh-bey…"

"Ladies!"

"Sorry Grissom." Liz apologized. She turned to Mindy then mouthed, _'I'll talk to **you** later.'_

"Anyway…I need at least Liz's help to go find him. We're a little bit shorthanded around here. Warrick and Ca—"

"Warrick's hot too!" Mindy cried.

"You were stalking _him_ too?" Liz cried incredulously.

"Oh, when you say it that way it sounds bad!"

"Ladies, _please!_ This is important!"

"My sincerest apologies Grissom. I'll be sure to _send_ somebody with Ms. Bletcher next time."

"Now, which one of you is coming down?"

"I am!" Mindy cried instantaneously.

"Meaning I'll have to come with…" Liz muttered cynically.

Suddenly a large shadow shrouded Liz's office.

"Hello Molly."

"Oh great, there're more of you?" Grissom cried on the other end.

Ignoring Grissom's pining, Liz turned to the very square Molly Turner standing in the doorway. Her clothes were black, as was her hair, and her shoes, and her everything except for her pale skin.

"Speakerphone's on Molly," Liz informed her. "I suppose you're here for your paycheck?"

Molly grunted and trudged forward to the desk.

"Here you are." Liz handed the boxy woman a cream envelope. "Have a good weekend Molly."

Molly grunted, then pointed to the phone.

"Oh that's Grissom."

Molly's black-eyeshadow lined eyes widened, and she pointed to Liz accusingly.

"NO! Grissom and I are NOT together."

Molly grunted again, as if saying '_Suurre.._._'_

Grissom's voice piped up over the noise again.

"Who is _that_?"

Liz disregarded him. "Anyway, yes Grissom, I'll be there along with Mindy."

Molly grunted for yet another time, loudly as if saying, _'Where are you going without me?'_

"Is that all she does, is grunt?" Grissom asked over the phone.

"She took a vow of silence awhile ago. We can't find out why because she won't tell us. Hasn't said anything since except those grunts you hear and 'I see freaky dead people'."

"I see…"

"How can you Grissom? You're on a telephone silly!" Mindy cried valley-girl-like.

"I see freaky dead people!" Molly suddenly cried. Her voice was deep and hoarse, and could possibly belong to a young man.

"Grissom, can Molly come? She's afraid of the morgue and if we leave her alone here with Jason it'll only be worse."

"Why?"

"Let's just say Jason is the Greg Sanders of Chicago, taking off a bit of the tactfulness."

"So in other words…"

"He locked Molly in the morgue on her first day here." Liz said flatly.

"Oh…"

"I'll see you soon Grissom. You'll be seeing all three of us within 24 hours."

"Goodbye Liz."

"BYE SEXY!" Mindy cried at the speakerphone. Liz quickly hung up the receiver then turned to Mindy and Molly.

"Well girls, I guess we're going to Vegas."


	3. European

**Chapter Three**

_**European**_

"Okay, you'll need this, and this, and this, and this." Grissom said quickly, handing Liz a cellphone, a bottle of water, a snack, and a set of car keys.

Liz, Grissom, and Sara stood around the steel interrogation room. Sara leaned against a far wall, holding the same plate of broccoli, the same spork, and eating with the same greed as when Grissom had been here with her two days before.

"One question Grissom," Liz began, staring over at Sara, who was eyeing both of them casually.

"What?" Grissom's eyes widened.

"Why is she eating—"

"Uh-bup-bup!" Grissom's hand shot forward and covered Liz's mouth. "Whatever you do…don't…say…the 'b' word."

"Why?"

Grissom gave her a stern look, then turned to Sara with a somber look on his face.

"Grissom, what are you going to do?" Sara asked him, one eyebrow raised.

"Sara, I'm very sorry about this."

"Grissom—"

"BROCCOLI!"

Sara screeched, "It's _mine_ all _mine_!" She crouched backwards where she stood against the wall, rocking back and forth with the plate of broccoli still in her tight grip.

"Are you sure you're all right?" Grissom asked her.

Her composure changed. She stood up, hands loosening and gaze softening.

"I'm fine."

Liz was staring at the two, mouth open, and her eyes asking the question for her.

"You say the 'b' word," Grissom began, "she flies into a small fit of hysteria."

"Uh-huh…" Liz still looked shocked.

"And when you ask if she's sure she's all right, she'll change back to normal. But she won't put those vegetables down."

Liz opened her mouth to say something, but suddenly the doors leading into the interrogation room opened. The three in the room turned to see who had entered.

"Liz, we parked the car and—" Mindy stopped speaking long enough to look Grissom's black adorned self up and down. "Dude…Liz. _This_ is your ex?"

"NO!" Liz and Grissom shrieked at the same time.

"Phew…_good_ because he's really _old._"

Liz turned to Grissom, her face screwed into an apologetic, embarrassed look. "Please, forgive Mindy. She's a…well…a blonde in redhead clothing."

"I know _plenty_ of _very_ intelligent blondes. It's the redheads I'm afraid of. They give me _hives_." To demonstrate, Grissom raised his black left-arm sleeve to reveal a red bump.

"Grissom…that's a mosquito bite…" Liz pointed out.

"So! It's what the hives would look like if she ever touched me!"

"Look, do you want us to go find Nick?"

"He's hot!" Mindy shouted.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have doubted your power." Grissom apologized.

Then suddenly, Molly appeared in the open doorway behind Mindy. She pointed at Grissom, and then at Liz accusingly.

"NO! Grissom and I are not together and NEVER will be!"

Liz turned to Grissom, then said, "Sorry Griss, you're not my type."

"No offense taken. I may like blondes, but you aren't my type either."

"Glad that's settled." Liz then turned back to Molly and Mindy. "Girls, I want you out of here. Go to the garage. The car should be there."

Molly grunted, as if to say '_Why should we listen to you?'_

"Because, Molly, even in another state, I can still fire you."

Molly furrowed her brow and grunted, Mindy stuck out her tongue, but both women turned to walk out of the interrogation room.

"Liz, find my guy, please." Grissom whispered. "It's been a whole two days and I bet he's dead by now, but find him anyway." Liz gave him the thumbs up then walked out of the interrogation room.

* * *

"Okay…umm…which one is ours?" Liz asked aloud, as if somebody who would know the answer was right there. The garage was filled with numerous cars, tractors, and airplanes, parked along a very long building with a road leading through the middle of it.

"Over here!" It wasn't Mindy who had spoken, and it definitely wasn't Molly. In fact, it was a man's voice.

Liz followed the voice, to see Hodges standing there next to a tan jeep with no top other than a windshield.

"Umm…Hodges? I presume?" Liz addressed.

"You got that right." Hodges reached forward with a hand and shook Liz's. "Anyway, Grissom told me that you'd be here and that I should get your jeep set up for you."

"Umm…" Liz pointed at the jeep, whose steering wheel was on the literal right side of the vehicle. "Why is it on the wrong side?"

"Oh that's because we _had_ a bunch of American versions, you know with it on the left side. But then Ecklie decided he wanted to have a demolition derby with them in that bomb detonation site so we had to import some European ones."

"Ha-ha!" Mindy laughed, pointing at Hodges. "You said 'You're a peein!' Ha-ha-ha!"

Liz shot Hodges an apologetic look.

"Good luck finding Nick." Hodges said.

"Thank you. Girls, get into the jeep."

Molly, who had been curiously looking at a tractor, and Mindy, who had taken to surveying an airplane, turned back to Liz and ran as fast as their stocky legs would carry them to the jeep.

"You two are in the back."

"Aww, why?" Mindy whined.

"Because _I_ said so."

"Fine."

Mindy and Molly piled into the backseat. Liz struggled for a moment to start the car and get used to the feel of it while it stayed in the garage. Hodges watched her interestedly, hands in his labcoat pockets and head tilted to one side.

"Okay, I think I got it."

"Good. Have fun."

"Oh I will," Liz pulled the European jeep out of its parking spot and drove out of the garage. Hodges walked out into the center of the road and watched the vehicle fade into the distance.

* * *

Liz had found the rainforest, lingering just off the strip,within a few minutes of driving, and at the current moment was driving wildly along the twisting, dirt road surrounded by tropical vegetation.

"Hey! Liz!" Mindy shouted above the noise of the jeep. "Pop in some tunes, will you?"

"No!"

Mindy let out a whining groan. "Whhyy…?"

"Because! There's no radio!"

Mindy leaned back in her seat, folding her pudgy arms and sticking out her lip. They were all silent for the next five minutes, Mindy's beady blue eyes sweeping the landscape around the moving vehicle. Then suddenly, something tan and mud-caked caught her eye. Lying there, was a toppled over jeep.

"OH MY GOD! IT'S THE HOTTIE'S JEEP!" Mindy shrieked. She thrust herself into the front seat, wrenched the wheel out of Liz's grip, and turned a hard left.

"Mindy!" Lizscreamed, right before the jeep crashed headlong into a tree, sending all three of the passengers through the wall of trees.

* * *

**What will happen now that the rescuers have crashed? Why has Sara become obsessed with the 'b' word? And most importantly, what is Ecklie doing holding a demolition derby at a bomb detonation site? Stay tuned!**


	4. Shiny Cellphone

**Chapter Four**

_Shiny Cellphone_

Grissom was still pacing around the interrogation room. Sara had reinstated her position at the head of the cold, steel table in the middle of the room, and continued to munch silently on her broccoli.

"Grissom, why are you so uptight? You were the one who called them in to do the job in the first place!" Sara mumbled to him, licking her two front teeth to dislodge a piece of vegetable stuck in the gap.

"I know, I know, it's just…what's it been now?" He glanced to the digital clock high on the far right wall. "It's been an entire twenty minutes and I'm starting to get worried."

"Did you take your pills this morning?" Sara asked him. She lifted a suspicious eyebrow in his direction, a 'gotcha' kind of smirk on her face.

"I do not need them, for I do not have an anxiety disorder." Grissom declared—his eyes widening in a lofty, almost arrogant pose.

"Of course you don't…" Sara returned to eating.

"Sara, really, do you have any ideas? Warrick and Catherine are 'incommunicado'. Nick is missing! And now those people from Chicago are gone too!"

"Doesn't there have to be a 24 hour window before someone is actually 'missing'?"

"That's beside the point. Do you have _any_ ideas?"

Sara paused; doing nothing more than let the spork in her right hand go limp.

"Well the way I see it, we have two options. One: We could go looking for Nick and find those people from Chicago on the way or…I still have to think up the second option."

She took another huge mouthful of broccoli.

Grissom only stared.

"Well…I suppose that's a logical idea."

"Then let's go."

* * *

Liz sat up with a soft moan; her eyes closed and head pounding. She was on the ground somewhere, but this accursed headache was keeping her from thinking properly. The last thing she remembered was herself yelling at Mindy for something—Mindy! Her eyes shot open and she frantically took in her surroundings, scanning the land around her for Mindy.

She, herself, was on the very edge of a coniferous forest.

'_Wait, that can't be right. We were just driving through a rainforest.'_

Liz rubbed her eyes, as if she was seeing things due to a concussion. When she reopened them, she was indeed, sitting on the edge of a coniferous forest. Giant, towering pine trees formed a border on three sides, framed on the fourth end by doubly towering mountains, the square they formed creating a gently sloping green hill in the center.

Some moans to Liz's left distracted her from taking in the sights and she turned to the noise. Mindy was sitting under a bush, her red hair swept into flyaway mats. Her glasses were askew, and her eyes looked crossed, their expression dazed.

"Whoa..." she groaned.

"Are you all right?" Liz asked her, her hands moving to her own hair to double-check her ponytail hadn't come down at all. It was beginning to slip, so she tightened it.

"Yeah…" She sounded confused.

"Where's Molly?"

Mindy shrugged and glanced around. "DUDE! We're in…a…_not _rainforest!"

"Wonderful observation Mindy." Liz said sarcastically. She stood up and brushed off her khakis and the back of her cream-colored sweater. Liz checked herself over for injuries, found none, and then turned the forest she had flown out of the vehicle.

She couldn't help but think, '_Should have worn a seatbelt…_' as she walked into it. She strode further but found nothing, not even a hint of the European jeep. Eventually she realized that she was walking deeper in than she had been thrown. Had she perhaps walked passed the jeep? Liz walked a few more yards then decided something very strange was happening where she had somehow passed the jeep and turned around.

When she reached the boundary between the forest and the grassy slope, Mindy was still sitting looking rather disorientated.

"Mindy, have you found Molly yet?"

Mindy shook her head then stood her chubby body up, tugging her snug jeans up and her taut shirt down.

"I don't know where she is."

Liz looked around in a very slight panic, when suddenly a call answered her question.

"I see freaky dead people!"

The call came from above and Liz's gaze turned to the tree branches above. Mindy too looked up. Molly was sitting on one of the branches, her dark clothing contrasting in a way that made her almost impossible to see.

"Molly, come down from there." Liz commanded. She put her hands on her hips and mentally wished her normally soft, calm copper eyes to harden into an almost black.

Molly grunted and disappeared into the brush cover of the pine tree. The next moment, after numerous rustlings of the tree, she appeared at the foot of it, her hair entwined with pine needles.

"All right girls, we're CSI's. Anybody have any ideas of how to get ourselves out of this mess?"

Molly did nothing but grunt. Liz hadn't expected her to be any help anyway, so she turned to Mindy, who was still gazing with her jaw dropped up towards the sky.

"Mindy! Any ideas?" Liz snapped. Molly too looked at the redhead whose blonde side had begun to take effect.

Liz waited impatiently, her arms crossed against her chest and her foot tapping on the dried out needles covering the ground. Mindy continued to stare.

"Mindy, come on, say something before we think you're dead!" Liz barked.

"Th-th-the..." Mindy stuttered.

"Whaaat...?" Liz raised an eyebrow and halted her foot.

"Th-the..._eagles..._"

Liz and Molly both trained their sights towards whatever Mindy was looking at, and there they saw them— numerous flying eagles, that could have easily been mistaken for buzzards, despite the fact they were clearly meant to be eagles.

"They're going to eat us!" Mindy shrieked, her arms snapping to her head in a defensive position.

"The eagles are _not_ going to eat us Mindy." Liz groaned, taking her finger and thumb to her temples and rubbing. The throbbing headache was demanding her attention, but she didn't have any to spare. They were stranded _somewhere_ in the middle of a coniferous forest in the middle of a rainforest, in the middle of Nevada. What were the chances?

"Let's just...go find somewhere to sit and think or something...maybe take a look around."

They were here to find Nick, and that was exactly what they were going to do. Nick's jeep crashed right where they had crashed. He had to be somewhere close by, right?

Liz set off on foot, Molly followed silently, and Mindy trailed distantly after Molly, arms still clamped over her head, muttering erratically about the eagles that were supposedly about to come swooping down at their heads to peck their eyeballs out.

Liz wasn't sure _what _the heck she was doing, except that they were completely and utterly lost. They were here to find Nick, but in the process, had gone missing themselves. The group moved out across the hill, Liz's eyes wide open in the hopes of finding the missing subject. Nothing. Finally, they reached the very center of the knoll; Liz took another long look around then sat down with her legs crossed.

Molly grunted, as if she were saying, '_What are you doing now?'_ but without protest, she sat down. Mindy too managed to control herself long enough to sit down with them. Once she situated herself on the ground, she curled into a fetal position, her arms still over her head, and began to rock back and forth, muttering manically. "The eagles, they're going to eat us...they're going to eat us...they're going to eat us..."

Molly sat stoic, Liz sat thinking as best she could with Mindy's ramblings, and Mindy muttered on...

About twenty-five minutes later, Liz had had enough.

"Mindy! _Shut up!_ The eagles are _not_ going to eat us!"

A time very poorly chosen, for at just that moment, a small chickadee landed daintily on a tall blade of grass a few yards in front of them, and the next second an eagle had swooped down and grabbed the bird up in its claws of steel.

Mindy moaned hopelessly and Liz threw her hands up in surrender.

"What did I do? What did I _really_ do to deserve this oh mighty overlord of misery?" she cried cynically.

Molly grunted then whispered, "I see freaky dead people."

Liz responded sharply, "Shut up."

Then, quite suddenly, a loud beeping noise filled their ears. Liz's eyes snapped to Molly's—cold, hard, and menacing without her even making an effort.

"Molly—we've been stranded here forever—why didn't you tell anyone you had a cellphone?"

Molly ignored her and reached into one of her enormous pockets to get at her phone. She flipped it open and put it to her ear, offering a grunt as a means of greeting.

Liz hung on bated breath as Molly listened and _just_ when thoughts of being rescued and brought out of here entered her head, Molly hung up the phone, threw it forcefully to the ground, and began to stomp on it.

"No!" Liz shrieked. She launched herself forward, pushing Molly and her foot of doom aside and scooped the phone up into her hands. But it was too late…the cellphone had been broken into two useless pieces. Liz's hands went limp and she hung her head. She turned her eyes to Molly who sat there emotionlessly.

"_Why_ did you smash your phone?" Liz asked.

Molly grunted, though Liz, who had worked with Molly for years, knew exactly what it meant. Telemarketer. Liz hung her head again and stared down at the destroyed phone. She moved it around in her hand, the light from the sun above them glinting off it.

200 feet above their heads, one of about twenty or so eagles gliding through the air caught a glimpse of the reflected light and stopped in mid-flight, searching for the shiny object that had caused the flash.

When he spotted the broken pieces of phone, one thought raced through the animal's feeble mind: '_Shiny..._' And he dove.


	5. Warrick Returns

**Chapter 5**

_Warrick Returns_

Grissom pulled up alongside the two wreckages of previously occupied jeeps.

"They must have crashed here," he muttered, resting an arm in his window and looking across the two crashes.

"No duh Sherlock," Sara said. She was seated in the passenger seat of the SUV, plate of broccoli on her lap; still brimming with the vegetable.

Grissom shrugged off the comment and opened his door, stepping over a watery mudhole and over to the pile of metal. Sara followed quickly, shifting the broccoli to one hand and opening the door with her other. She stepped up behind Grissom and followed his eyes surveying the jeeps.

"Soo…where are they? I don't see any footprints."

Grissom didn't answer. He had stepped forward to two trees at the foot of a vegetation-covered knoll and was now staring at the expanse of air between them.

"Hey, hey Grissom, are you listening to me?"

"Shut up," Grissom snapped, waving his hand at her and squinting between the two plants. Sara narrowed her eyes at him and attempted to forget the abrupt remark.

"They're just through these two trees." Grissom declared, backing away slightly from the plants. He put his hands on his hips and smiled in a victorious pose.

"Oh really?" Sara raised a skeptical eyebrow.

"What, do you doubt me?"

"I never doubt you Grissom."

"Good." And at that moment, Grissom placed his hands at the small of Sara's back and shoved. Sara tumbled forward between the two trees with a gasp of surprise and was swallowed by a chameleon-like force-field.

"Oh crap, _what_ did I just do?" Grissom said airily, as though he could are less. He picked interestedly at a nail then stepped through the bubble that had disappeared with Sara.

Once through the shield, Grissom opened his eyes to a forest; towering pine trees and an expanse of mountain. He paid no attention to anything except what his precursory glance could tell him. Then suddenly, a sudden jabbing pain in his left arm caused him to yelp and look around. Sara stood next to him, spork held threateningly in her right hand.

"That was for making me almost spill my veggies." Sara hissed.

Grissom stuck out his tongue at her, a gesture that was returned, and then they forgot the ordeal and turned to the forest.

"See anybody?" Sara asked aloud.

"No. But I see footprint—" But suddenly a shriek brought both of them to attention.

"You heard that right?" Sara said, shoveling broccoli into her mouth to calm her nerves.

Grissom answered by running forward through the forest, towards the scream. Sara broke out into a run behind him, balancing her broccoli carefully. They hit the edge of the forest and the sun glared down at them. Sara dug into her pocket and pulled out a pair of sunglasses and slipped them on. Grissom did the same and when they could see clearly, panic and slight amusement filled them.

Liz, Molly, and Mindy were running around in circles, waving around at a dozen eagles flying around their heads, pecking at their hair and trying to fly off with it, attacking their faces and leaving scratches.

"Grissom!" Sara shrieked. "Do something!"

"Like _what?_"

"_Anything!_"

"Why not you?"

"My hands are full you nitwit!"

Grissom pouted then ran forward into the crowd of screaming girls and feathers. Sara watched, dancing from foot to foot in anxiety, managing to fit spork-fulls of food into her mouth all the same. The sun glinted off her sunglasses and her shiny black boots. Completely unbeknownst to her, she had attracted the attention of two of the assaulting eagles.

The two birds tore away from the fray and zoomed toward Sara, who yelped and ducked. The eagles entwined their claws in her hair, their sharp beaks pecking at her head. She waved frantically at them with her spork, but one of the eagles had migrated to her feet, pecking at them with ferocity.

"Gerroff!" she shouted, attempting to jab one with her spork. "Gerroff me!"

The second eagle, at her feet, hopped behind and pecked at Sara's ankles and the eagle atop her head jumped onto her hands clutching hopelessly to the broccoli platter. The bird poked at her hands while the second clambered up to her belt buckle and attacked that as well.

"I said—"

But the first bird had just jabbed at her watch, missed and hit the inside of her palm instead, causing her to gasp and on reflex release the plate with the broccoli on it.

The world seemed hung in time, slowing to an unbearable pace.

Sara's eyes widened in terror as she stared at the toppled plate of broccoli.

"NOOOO!"

With a single sweep, she reached for her gun holster and pulled out her gun.

"Eat bullet and die, winged-spawn of Satan!" she screeched, opening fire on the two birds that were now pecking at the contaminated broccoli.

One dead, two dead; Sara turned her aim to the horde of birds attacking Grissom, Liz, Molly, and Mindy and fired. After five of them were lifeless on the ground, the remaining seven zoomed away, screeching agonized calls of bird-speak.

Grissom, Liz, Molly, and Mindy stood doubled-over, panting, bird poop and feathers covering them along with numerous cuts and scratches. Sara moved her gun back to her holster, but just then, an enormous golden eagle rocketed towards them. She readied her gun and fired at the bird, which dropped instantly, and who should stumble off the back of the simply gargantuan beast…but Warrick Brown.


	6. Mount Eaglet

**Chapter 6**

_Mount Eaglet_

"You shot my eagle!" Warrick cried, on hands and knees. He was glaring evilly at Sara, who holstered her gun, her shoulders shaking.

"He was going to eat my broccoli!"

"But you _shot _my eagle!"

"But he's _evil!_"

"Eagle killer!"

Sara stuck her tongue out and wrung her quivering hands.

"You know you can get arrested for shooting an eagle," Grissom said calmly, stepping up next to Sara and pulling an eagle feather out of his beard.

"Do they have broccoli in prison?"

"And meatloaf. They have that and meatloaf."

"Then I'm all set."

She was still shaking and she turned to look at her toppled plate of broccoli. With a soft whimper she turned back around. Warrick was surveying the damage to his precious pet eagle, one frustrated hand cupping his forehead, the other on his hip.

Liz, Molly, and Mindy were still gasping for breath. Finally, Liz was able to speak, brushing some eagle feathers off her white shirt.

"_Don't _say it. Don't even _say _it."

Mindy took a giant breath and then screeched, "I _told _you so! I told you so! I told you so! I _told _you so!"

Liz rolled her eyes and Molly grunted. She didn't seem the least bit phased to be covered in eagle droppings and feathers.

"Oh man…" Warrick continued, bending down to the eagle's corpse. "What are your babies gonna do, man?"

"Babies?" Sara said; then her eyes widened fearfully, "I'm a _parent _killer?"

"Oh, of course, _now _you care."

"I killed somebody's parent?" she squeaked.

"Yeah. Great going." Warrick muttered. He bent down to the eagle's body and examined it. "You shot him straight through the middle of his eyes."

Sara straightened slightly at that. "Well, I guess all those hours at the shooting range paid off."

Grissom butted into the conversation, "What are you doing here, Warrick? Aren't you supposed to be on some mountain case with Catherine?"

"And I am."

"Well then, A) Where's the case, and B) Where's Catherine?"

"Well A) The case is a missing baby eagle in a nest with two other eaglet witnesses and B) Catherine is with the remaining babies."

"I'm a parent killer!" Sara moaned. "_And _I'm going into withdrawal. I have no broccoli. I'm going to curl up into a fetal position and then shrivel up and then _die._"

Grissom and Warrick let her ramble.

"I'd like to come see where you and Catherine are, if you don't mind."

"Well we'll have to walk partway, but I'm sure we'll be able to hail down some eagles to come and give us a lift."

Liz piped up, her eyes crackling. "I am _not _riding any eagles."

"_Yes _you are." Grissom said firmly to her.

"Only if Mindy gets to stay nicely on the ground."

Mindy was still ranting on and on about how she was right about the rabid eagles attacking. Grissom turned to look at her and pondered her for a few moments.

"She'll walk with us…and then…uhh…we'll figure it out when we come to it."

With a pitiful expression, Liz hung her head, muttering 'Why me?' over and over under her breath.

"I told you so, I told you so, I told you so!"

"I'm a _parent _killer!"

"Why me?"

"I see freaky dead people!"

Warrick shared a glance with Grissom that clearly said, '_Women…' _Grissom answered with a slow nod. Warrick bent down to his eagle, gave it a soft 'farewell' pat on its head, then walked away up the grassy knoll towards the mountain, Grissom followed quietly, leaving the four blabbering females to their words.

Through her shakes, Sara managed to notice that Grissom and Warrick were in the process of ditching.

"Hey! Hey wait up!" She managed to control herself long enough to dash after Grissom's receding back.

Liz huffed loudly then took off after Sara. Molly trudged after Liz, and Mindy skipped up the hill singing, "I told you so, I told you so, I told you so!"

XxX 1 Hour Later XxX

"I told you so, I told you so, I…told…you…phew…" Mindy collapsed on the hill, panting and wheezing.

Liz threw her hands up and yelled, "Finally! She finally shuts up!"

Warrick and Sara had continuously bickered about the dead eagle and whether or not Sara was in the right when she shot it. Grissom was silent, as was Molly, but that was only to be expected. Mindy had sing-songed "I told you so" for the entire expanse of time, and Liz had to gather all self-control not to strangle her.

The group had made it up the hill, and was now standing at the foot of the mountain. The mountain ahead of them was lost in the clouds, its base steep and covered with rocks and boulders, but its tip unseen in the mist.

"Welcome to Mt. Eaglet." Warrick said, placing his hands on his hips and taking in the sight of the mountain. "I suppose we're going to need a ride…" He placed two fingers in his mouth and whistled. A loud rasping screech met the group's ears and the next second, five, six-foot-tall eagles landed, wings flapping, on the ground next to them.

"DIE!" Sara shrieked, reaching for her gun, but Warrick dived at her, both tumbling to the ground, fighting for control of the weapon.

"Sara, you can't shoot these eagles!"

"And _why _not?"

"Because I said so…" Warrick stood up from the tussle, gasping for breath. " and I have your gun." He opened his hand, revealing the metal object inside. Sara sighed and curled up on the ground, arms over her head.

"I miss my broccoli," she whined, sticking her right hand in her mouth and nibbling on her nails. "And I think I have gas. I'm getting cramps."

"Great." Warrick muttered. He gave Sara her gun back, and she placed it firmly into her holster, glaring at the eagles in the meantime, who watched her with large black eyes.

"Okay…" Grissom said quietly. "We can all have one to ourselves, but we're one eagle short so somebody's going to have to share."

"I'm not sharing with Mindy." Liz said quickly, eyeing the eagles cautiously.

"Mindy, you get to ride by yourself." Grissom knew that nobody would want to ride with her. "Molly, you can have an eagle to yourself too." She was too large to share with anybody.

"I'm not riding with Sara if she has gas." Warrick said.

"Sara, you get to ride by yourself too then I guess, and you have to ride downwind as well."

Sara stuck out her lip and stood up, brushing off her butt that was covered with grass.

"These eagles won't eat us." Mindy declared, walking up to one of them. "They're nice." She reached out her hand and made to pet its head, but it snapped its beak at her and stared her in the eye. "You're a mean eagle! I don't like you!"

"I guess I'll share with Liz…" Warrick mumbled, hands still on his hips, surveying the giant birds. "Okay you guys, you heard everyone. Get to it."

On command, the eagles arranged themselves. The one who snapped at Mindy went over to Sara, who glared it in the eye before climbing nervously onto its enormous back. Grissom clambered onto the back of the eagle in front of him. Mindy needed some coaxing on Liz's end to mount her ride, and Molly's eagle was shaking under her weight.

"Okay Liz, ladies first." Warrick said, stepping aside for Liz to get on. She did so apprehensively, catching sight of Mindy's eagle trying to nibble on the woman's shoelace. Warrick sat on the eagle behind her and said loudly, "Up, up!"

The eagles' wings shot out and began to flap. The riders all jumped except for Warrick who appeared calm, holding a fistful of feathers, his knees pressed tightly into the eagle's side. Liz tried to copy him as the eagle they were riding rose off the ground, its feet tucking into its belly, its head lowered, and its wings flapping.

It was uncomfortable riding the bird, the elbow of its wings bumping into Liz's knees with every flap, the only thing keeping her on top of the thing's back being Warrick sitting behind her.

Warrick and Liz's bird was first in the line, Grissom, Mindy, Sara, and Molly flying behind, in that order. The eagle was flying steadily at first, angling slowly as it went steadily higher. It leveled out above the hill, heading away from the mountain, out over the forest and then circling back above the clouds. The tip of the mountain was in view, slightly snow-capped, numerous smaller peaks around it.

Liz was finally at ease upon the giant bird. She leaned upwards back into a seated position rather than bent over the eagle, holding on for dear life.

"Feeling safer?" Warrick asked her loudly above the wind. She nodded and looked over the side of the eagle, past the tip of its enormous wing. There was no rainforest to be seen. Only pine trees and grass. No shining lights of Las Vegas. No palm trees or vines. Nothing familiar.

"How did you get here?" Liz asked Warrick, talking clearly.

"I flew!"

Liz glanced back at Warrick who was smiling lightly, staring ahead at the nearing mountain. She looked past him back at the other eagles. Everyone else appeared to be warming up to the idea of flying and was sitting upright like she. Molly's eagle was lagging behind, flapping harder and faster than the other eagles, but still managing to come in dead last. Sara was hunched over slightly atop her eagle, gripping her stomach, her face twisted. Mindy appeared to be lecturing her eagle and Grissom's lips were pursed as he surveyed the surrounding forest anxiously.

When Liz faced forward again, they were very near to the mountain, which was confirmed when the eagle slowed down as they came closer to a cliff partway to the snowy tip.

"We're here!" Warrick declared. The line of birds slowed even more, causing Liz to come very close to slipping forwards off her ride. As the cliff came even further into view, an enormous pile of sticks in a crevasse could be seen, and Liz could have sworn she saw a bob of blonde hair as they drew nearer.

The eagles landed abruptly on the rock cliff, stumbling forward, their wings flapping up and down before folding to themselves. Warrick slid off the back and helped Liz down, whose knees were shaking slightly. But she wasn't nearly as bad as Sara, who fell from her eagle trembling. She reached up to the eagle and braced herself, standing up with one hand clutching her stomach and the other on the eagle's neck.

"Oh man…I really have gas…" she groaned, hunched over.

Molly's eagle arrived about thirty seconds after everybody else's and it was the eagle that shook afterwards as Molly swung a leg over its back and slid off. The poor thing collapsed in a heap and breathed out a heavy sigh of either relief or despair. Grissom was standing placidly, hands in his pockets, looking out over the hill.

"Warrick? Is that you?" Catherine's head peeked over the gigantic pile of sticks.

"Yeah, hey! Grissom, Sara, and some other people are here!" he shouted back. "How're the kids?"

Catherine gave him a thumbs up, "Hunky-Dorey!"

"We're coming on up okay? There's…er…something I have to tell you…" Warrick threw a solemn glance in Sara's direction, no doubt recalling the dead eagle parent they had left behind. Sara didn't notice, she was still doubled over in pain.

Warrick walked over to the crevasse and eagle nest, using the sticks as a ladder. Grissom followed, and then Mindy and Molly. Liz hung back with Sara, who staggered forward. Sara managed to climb up the nest as well, and Liz brought up the rear.

The nest was about six feet wide and six feet long. Catherine sat in the back of it, leaning against the far wall. Two small, raggedy looking eaglets sat on either side of her; her arms placed on the wall of sticks behind them, leaning backwards casually. Warrick sat down on her left, Grissom on her right. Mindy took a long look at Catherine before sitting down next to Grissom. Molly walked stoically into the nest and sat by Mindy, her feet sticking out straight in front of her.

Sara stumbled in, still doubled over; Liz passed her and sat down by Warrick, and Sara managed her way over to Liz, wincing along the way. The eagles below took off into the sky and they were left alone.

"Cath, I'm sorry." Warrick began, hooking his arm over the side of the nest.

"What are you talking about?" Catherine said, smiling, laughter in her voice.

"He's dead."

Catherine stared blankly at him. "Ex-Excuse me?"

"Papa Eagle, he's dead. Sara shot him."

The two little eaglets rasped loudly and waved their tiny wings.

"What do you mean he's dead?" Catherine stared at Warrick, an eyebrow raised. "Sara shot Papa Eagle?" Her hands drooped down from the nest's edge, wrapping around the eaglets' shoulders. Catherine's gaze turned to Sara, her jaw dropped. "_You _shot Papa Eagle?"

Sara nodded amongst her pain, biting her lip and twisting in her spot.

"But I swear…" she gasped "It was completely self-defense…he was going to eat my broccoli."

"Who cares about your friggin broccoli?" Catherine was beginning to shout now. "You just orphaned two, probably three baby eagles!"

"Wasn't my fault! Wasn't my fault!" Sara muttered.

Grissom cut in, "Sara was incapacitated. The broccoli was completely going to her head. I was planning on taking her to a mental hospital afterwards, to deal with her obsession, but as you can see…she's dealing with the consequences of her addiction right now." He threw a pitying look Sara's way. "And I have a feeling we'll be dealing with it soon as well. Obviously she's recovered from her temporary insanity now. She's not flying into a furious rage whenever I say broccoli. But I can tell you, she apologizes completely for the death of Papa Eagle."

Sara nodded. Catherine glared.

"So…on a slightly off-topic note…" Warrick said, changing the subject and clearing his throat. "What are you all doing here?"

"Looking for my guy." Grissom said quietly, looking at Warrick.

"Uh-huh…" Warrick raised an interested eyebrow, "Which one?"

"Nick."

Warrick nodded in understanding then turned to look at Catherine.

"Wasn't Nick visiting us for a little while?"

"Yeah, he left the nest right after Warrick heard shots and took off on Papa Eagle."


	7. Nick was here

**Chapter 7**

_Nick was here…_

Grissom gawked at Catherine and Warrick, his eyes wide and mouth hanging low.

"Uhh…Gil?" Catherine said, her eyebrows pointed in a confused expression.

"_Nick _was here? Only an hour ago? Wh-Where did he go? Is he alright?"

Catherine still looked puzzled.

"Gil, Nick is fine. He kept humming to himself whenever things got quiet, but he looks fine. He left because we told him about the missing eaglet. He said he was going to go find it."

"Which way did he go?" Grissom asked earnestly.

Catherine's eyebrows remained raised when she pointed behind her at a stone path leading up the mountain side.

"Thanks Cath. You've been a big help. Come on gang…" Grissom said, standing, clumsily shaking Catherine's hand, stepping over the edge of the nest and then practically running up the path.

"Hey, we're coming with!" Catherine said suddenly, standing up just as Mindy was about to clamber over the edge after Grissom. Catherine turned to Gil with her hands on her hips, the two eaglets bouncing around her feet like fuzzy super-balls.

"Excuse me," Mindy said firmly, placing her thick arms on her hips like Catherine. "But you're in my way. I'm on a mission. I have to go find Nicky."

Catherine turned around to face Mindy.

"I'm busy trying to talk sense into Gil thank you very much."

"Are you the reason that Liz and Grissom broke up? Because I can see why. You're a real b—"

"Mindy!" Liz screeched, tripping over herself as she ran forward and clapped a hand over Mindy's mouth, which the woman mumbled heatedly through. "First off," Liz grunted as Mindy attempted to pry her fingers off, "Grissom is not my ex. We were never together and never will be. I thought we went through this already?"

"Buv ee taught dat u'd vee barrst—" Mindy threw her eyes up in a look of annoyance and the next second Liz had pulled her hand from Mindy's mouth as if she'd been suddenly burned.

"Ew! Ew! Ew! _Eeeeeww_! She _licked _me!" She wiped her hand on the back of Mindy's shirt.

"It was the only way to get your hand off my mouth. Now what I was _trying _to say was that I thought you'd been embarrassed to admit that Grissom was your ex because he probably looks very different than when you were dating him and caught him with somebody else." Mindy did a couple of fake coughs which sounded similar to _'This female dog right here…'_

"Mindy, I'm serious when I say that Grissom and I were not together."

Mindy eyed her then turned out of the nest, brushing past Catherine roughly, and following Grissom up the path. Warrick stood and patted Catherine on the back to comfort her hurt ego. Molly stalked past after Mindy and Liz helped hoist Sara to her feet, and up and over the edge of the nest.

Catherine and Warrick came last, each holding onto one of the fuzzy eaglet balls of fluff which rasped and screeched as they were carried away.

The pathway the group was following wound its way higher up the mountain than even the eagle nest resided. The temperature slowly decreased and the air became thinner as they pressed on up its rocky steps. Sara lagged behind, Liz trying to help her keep her from collapsing. Mindy stalked after Grissom and Molly lumbered up slowly, her face emotionless as always. Catherine and Warrick were second in line.

"So enlighten us about this missing eaglet." Grissom wheezed, clambering over a few rocks that had at one point fallen into the path.

"Well, Cath and I were brought up here by…well…an unlikely source." Warrick mumbled uneasily as he helped Catherine over the rocks as well as Liz and Sara.

"Who?"

"More like _what_." Catherine said firmly. "The eagle clan, which Sara destroyed half of, flew to the lab during swing shift, before you guys got in, and since Warrick is fluent in eagle, we were able to communicate. Turns out one of these guys," She hoisted the baby eagle in her arms. "went missing and Warrick and I flew back here on Papa Eagle. Nick stayed behind, said he wanted to make sure that the shift was covered."

"Well," Grissom grunted with exertion as a crack in the path formed a giant step that he climbed over. "There's Papa Eagle, where's Mama Eagle?"

"Dead." Catherine said abruptly.

"I bet Sara killed her." Warrick said, chuckling, following right after Grissom and reaching over for Catherine's hand. He pulled her up and she followed Grissom while Warrick hung back. Molly pulled herself over the edge and continued, though Mindy stood firmly at the bottom of the step, staring determinedly at Warrick who had stood up, waiting for Liz and Sara.

"I'll help you ma'am," he said, taking Liz's hand in his and helping her up the step, "Sara," he said politely, nodding at the uncomfortable woman and giving her an extra tug to make sure she didn't collapse and fall off the step halfway up. Her face was still scrunched and her right hand still clutched tightly to her abdomen.

Warrick turned after Sara and began following the group.

"Hey!" Mindy shouted. "Hey, what about me?"

Warrick swiveled his head back around, "What?"

"I'm a helpless damsel! Help me up! Hold me hand and sweep me almost off my feet!"

Warrick raised an eyebrow, "Well, I thought you looked like someone who didn't take any help from anybody." It was more like he didn't feel like helping lift what looked like far more than 150 pounds worth of woman over a small overhang.

Mindy folded her arms and pouted exaggeratedly.

"Just leave her," Liz called to Warrick, who seemed to be having a severe mental debate. "She'll follow eventually."

With a final backward glance, Warrick jogged past Liz, Sara, and Molly, and back to Catherine's side. Mindy said nothing for about thirty seconds after that, before she cried, "I'm not moving! A certain hunky male figure is going to have to come back and get me before I go anywhere! And don't think you can send Grissom! He's _way _too old!"

They kept walking, but then suddenly Sara stumbled and fell, groaning loudly.

"Oh my God…oh my God…" she panted, doubled over, bending forward and placing her head on the stone, and then leaning back, breathing deeply.

The others pondered her for a moment before Catherine spoke, "Looks like me when I first went into labor with Lindsey. Are you sure Sara isn't seeing anybody? I think Greg still has the hots for her…are we sure he hasn't gotten her pregnant?"

"She's been eating broccoli for about two days straight." Grissom informed her.

"Ooh…"

"Oh my God…" Sara stuffed the back of her hand into her mouth and the next second, an enormous popping/squealing noise sounded, followed by an absolutely nauseating stench.

"Oh God!" the group around her gasped, slapping their hands to their mouths and noses.

"OH MY GOD! WHAT IS THAT SMELL?" Mindy's voice screeched loudly. The next second she had run past Sara, hands over her mouth, gagging.

"I suppose it's worse if you're downwind." Liz said quietly as Mindy ran past the rest of the group, turning a corner and disappearing out of sight.

"_Worse_?" Catherine managed through a cough. Her mouth and nose were covered with her left hand, the eaglet pressed between her elbow and side, her right hand waving furiously.

Sara sat gasping for breath on the ground, beads of sweat on her forehead, her shoulders trembling.

"Are you all right Sara?" Warrick asked, bending down to her level, one hand over his mouth, the eaglet safe in his arm like Catherine's. She nodded weakly.

"I-I-I need s-some…help…s-standing," She raised her hand to Warrick's shoulder and was helped into a standing position.

"Hey, where'd Grissom go?" Liz suddenly said, looking from Sara's sweaty face to the surrounding mountain cliffs.

"I…I don't know." Catherine said through her hand. "Do you think he followed Mindy? He always gets ticked with me when I call him old."

"Come on." Liz said, taking the lead. The group followed her around the corner Mindy had dashed around, Sara staggering, the stench growing faint, though it still lingered.

"I've never had gas this bad in my _life._" Sara moaned to Warrick, "I've never eaten so much broccoli in my life either."

"I don't think _anyone _has had that much broccoli before."

"This hurts worse than the worst period cramps!"

"Oh jeez. Too much info."

"Well it _does._"

"Grissom?" Catherine called, pulling the tan jacket she was wearing closer around her and tucking the little ball of fuzz she carried with her into its folds. Liz was in a sweater so she felt fine, and Molly was in all black and had enough blubber to give a whale a job as a supermodel. Warrick seemed unfazed by the growing cold despite his thin long-sleeved blouse, and it would be impossible to tell if Sara was shivering from cold or from just passing enough gas to last a drunk a lifetime or from the simple fact that her body was detoxing.

Grissom didn't respond and neither he nor Mindy were in sight.

"Gilbert Whatever-the-hell-your-middle-name-is Grissom! Get out here!" Catherine yelled, startling the bird she held.

A very faint, "_I'm over here,_" made itself heard and then, "_Hey! Look! The hottie has been here!"_

Liz and Catherine jogged ahead. Molly walked after them stoically still, and Warrick helped Sara after them. They stopped at the entrance to a cave, Grissom and Mindy standing inside of it, looking at the wall in the very back.

"What's going on?" Catherine asked, stepping forward on Gil's left, between him and Mindy. Mindy gave her a look of pure venom and took an embellished side-step.

The wall bore a very large message, written in what looked like white spray-paint.

—**NICK WAS HERE—**

**P.S. TEXAS AND CHITTY-CHITTY-BANG-BANG ROCK!**

"I think Nick was here…" Grissom said quietly. He stepped forward to the message and placed his finger on the "T" in Texas. It was still wet. "It's fresh. He's nearby."

"No duh, Sherlock." Sara managed.


	8. Demolition Ecklie

**Chapter Eight**

_Demolition Ecklie_

"Which way do you think he went?" Grissom asked fervently, tearing out of the cave and glancing every-which-way. "Nick? NICK?" he yelled.

"Hey, hey, hey, Grissom," Liz said sternly, stepping up next to him. "Who did you hire to find this guy? Who are you paying $40 an hour to find Nick?" She marched past Grissom, who was still looking around frantically for the missing subject.

"Nick!" she shouted, cupping her hands to her mouth. "Nicholas Matthew Stokes!"

"Matthew?" Grissom said curiously. "How did you know _that_?"

Mindy answered him proudly, "I told her! Since I discovered his incredible hotness, I decided to learn everything I could about the marvel that is Nicholas Matthew Stokes!" She beamed pompously and placed her hands on her hips.

Liz and Grissom stared openmouthed at her.

"_Anyway_," Catherine interrupted sternly, brushing past Mindy. The redhead glared evilly at Catherine. "NICK! GET YOUR TEXAN, CHITTY-CHITTY-BANG-BANG OBSESSED BEHIND OUT HERE RIGHT NOW!"

The others turned to stare at her, before faintly they heard a voice, embroidered with a true Texas accent.

"Hey, hey I'm here! And I want you to meet somebody!"

Catherine grinned proudly. Then, hoisting the eaglet into a comfortable position, she took off walking towards the voice. Grissom was smiling and followed Catherine, followed by everybody else. But Mindy was the one who took off as fast as her thick legs could carry her, rushing past everyone again. Sara appeared to have gotten over her enormous flatulence problem, and could almost stand completely straight without any help.

"Texas Teddy?" Mindy called, running along the mountain path. "Nicky? Hottie? Are you there?" She dashed over a steep cliff, throttling herself along until the people left behind heard a sudden shriek of glee. "OH! Nicky you're all right! And you're as hot as ever! Oh my GOD! I'm so glad you're all right!"

Grissom was the next to reach the location of dearest Nicholas Matthew Stokes. He was sitting pleasantly in a cave, a small ball of eagle fluff in his lap, his hair filled with bits of green and his face rather dirty, but other than that, he looked perfectly unharmed.

"Nick! You're all right!" Grissom said excitedly, smiling and walking into the cave. Sara and Warrick followed, Liz next, followed by the monotone Molly.

"Howdy!" Nick said brightly, though he appeared slightly distressed with Mindy staring at him bright-eyed and grinning madly.

"Nick, we've been looking everywhere for you!" Grissom cried, bending down next to him, still smiling.

"Ah, yes, well, I didn't know. I didn't exactly feel lost either, because I met up with Catherine and Warrick, and yeah, well, everything was good." Nick smiled then he turned his gaze to the empty cave entrance. "_Hey, ho, chitty-chitty-bang-bang, we love you, hey ho, chitty-chitty-bang-bang, we love you!_"

Grissom stared at Nick, one eyebrow raised.

"Yes, well, uh…Nick, we have to go now. You're going to come back to the lab with us, now that we've found you."

"Huh? Oh no I can't, I have to go find the one case I'm on. Some dead old lady in the rainforest but I can't find her, plus I can't take Poncho here with me because he'd die in the rainforest. He belongs in the mountains."

"Dead old lady?" Grissom repeated interestedly.

"Yeah, Brass phoned me about her. Said I needed to drive out to find her. _Hey, ho, chitty-chitty-bang-bang, we love you!_"

The gears began to churn in Grissom's head, '_Come up with a plan, come up with a plan,'_

"Hey, Nick, we'll go find that old lady, all right? Come on let's go outside."

Grissom stood up, and Mindy took it to herself to grab Nick's arm to hoist him up. He nodded politely to her and Grissom thought Mindy would faint on the spot.

The group walked out of the cave, Grissom leading the way, Mindy attempting to grab onto Nick's arm, though she was stuck behind Warrick, Liz, Molly, and Sara. Instead, Catherine took Mindy's place by Nick's side, scratching Poncho the eaglet under its chin.

"Okay…er…Nick," Grissom began, "Warrick is going to call some eagles to take us over to the…er…'dead old lady'." Grissom winked twice at Warrick who nodded, but just when he was about to stick his fingers in his mouth, a sudden bang erupted from the mountain around them.

"What was _that_?" Sara asked, placing a hand over her forehead as a shield from the light and looking for the source of the noise.

But she was answered quickly, and yet absurdly by a tan jeep, hurtling out of the sky. The group took an astounded step back as the thing landed right-side-up on an area of path before them. They would have thought it was unharmed by its graceful landing, but it was covered with numerous dents and its entire front end was smashed, as well as a busted back-bumper.

"Greg you idiot!" Ecklie shouted from his position in the passenger seat. "You call that demolition? You got pummeled out there! And look! We're all the way out here because of you! I can't believe you let that guy beat you to a pulp out in that bomb detonation site! Why? Why did I let you drive? I should have left you on the curbside! You aren't worthy! You aren't worthy of demolition derby!"

Grissom, Sara, Catherine, Molly, Mindy, Nick, and Liz stared, the three eaglets cheeping in their caretakers arms.

"G-Greg?" Grissom stuttered, his jaw dropped. "W-What are you doing here?"

Greg, whose hair was mussed and filled with sand, stepped out of the jeep and slammed the door. Without answering Grissom, he stomped over to Ecklie's side of the vehicle and thrust Ecklie's door open. Ecklie stared at him curiously for a moment, when suddenly Greg's hands shot out and grabbed Ecklie by his sports jacket collar.

"You think I _wanted _to be in that demolition derby? You think I _liked _being pummeled by all those freaky American jeeps? I CAN'T EVEN DRIVE STICKSHIFT!"

Ecklie pulled himself out of Greg's grasp and stood up.

"Well maybe if you hadn't gotten us stuck out here I wouldn't have to worry about how we're supposed to win that demolition trophy! I'm Conrad S. Ecklie! I'm supposed to win that trophy!"

"Yeah, well, trophy this." Greg suddenly spat on Ecklie's shoe. Ecklie's mouth fell open and he stared at Greg, utterly surprised. His bald head was covered with a thin layer of dust and dirt, and his eyelashes and eyebrows were disguised beneath the sand.

"I quit." Greg stated, folding his arms. "I don't want to be in your darned demolition derby no more." He stuck out his tongue.

The Las Vegas CSI's silently watching behind them, poorly attempting to conceal grins. The Chicago CSI's appeared confused, except for Molly, who never showed any emotion.

Ecklie appeared at a loss for words, then suddenly he spat furiously, "You can't do that to me Sanders!" He put his finger in Greg's face, causing the younger man to back up, close to the edge of the mountain cliff. "You can't do that! You know why? You signed a contract! You agreed to be in the demolition derby with me! But you know what? It doesn't matter, because we're out of the ring and officially disqualified! But that doesn't seem to matter to you, does it? I can't win that trophy and you don't care! I can't believe you don't care!"

Greg was about a foot from the edge of the cliff now. He looked behind him and noted that he was about 1000 feet from the ground, nothing separating him from it other than a cliff full of sharp pointed rocks.

Ecklie's face was contorted now, and the Las Vegans' grins were replaced with looks of true concern. Ecklie heaved with bull-like breaths, and then with a sudden yell of rage, he lunged at Greg.

Greg grunted, holding his hands out as he went down, with a foot in Ecklie's stomach, Ecklie did a flip over Greg, off the face of the cliff, falling through a cloud, and disappearing from sight.

Greg stood up, panting slightly.

"Yeah, well I'm glad you're dead, you jerk! Yeah you heard me, JERK!"

He turned to the group, whose mouths were wide open.

"I always wanted to say that," he said cheerily.

Then suddenly the sound of muffling was heard faintly from the beat-up jeep. Greg raised an eyebrow then looked to the group ahead of him who shrugged. Mindy appeared very entranced for some peculiar reason.

"Er…Greg, I'm going to avoid asking what you were doing with Ecklie in a demolition derby, if you'll answer this one question…who's in the trunk?" Grissom asked.

"Er…uhh…erm…er…I don't know."

Their eyes fleeted to the trunk where the mumblings grew louder. Greg turned to it and, with a cautious pause, he took a set of keys out of his pocket and popped the trunk.

Inside lay Brass, curled up with a couple beer bottles, some Lays Chips package wrappers and a stack of magazines.

"Er…hi Greg!" he said brightly, smiling and waving at him. "I'm not sure what you're thinking, but if I'm right, then I have this to say: I am not trying to get the full experience of a demolition derby by stowing away in your trunk."

Greg's eyes were wide and he raised an eyebrow at Brass. The older man clambered out of the trunk, and once he was out on his two feet, he stretched, cracked his back, and then straightened out his sports jacket.

"Okay, this is too weird. I'm not even going to bother asking this time. I know better than to ask." Grissom muttered, putting a hand to his head and shaking it back and forth.

Warrick spoke. "Well…we were just about to go help Nick 'go find the dead old lady'." He began to put his fingers in his mouth when Brass let out a hearty laugh.

"HA! You actually _fell _for that? That's hilarious! Why would there be a dead old lady in a rainforest, in Nevada! Ha! I can't believe you believed me!" He snorted with laughter and doubled over. Nick looked heartbroken, and Mindy patted his arm sympathetically, having finally bustled past the wall of people before her and made her way to Nick's side.

"It's okay Nicky; everything is going to be all right. I don't hate you for being gullible." Though she was eyeing Greg with a certain glint in her eye, her glasses only partially concealing the greedy look in them.

"Well…then…what now?" Warrick asked.

Grissom shrugged.

"We go home I guess."

"Hmm…" Then Warrick blew into his fingers. The five eagles appeared almost instantly, landing daintily as they had before. The eaglets chirped excitedly. "All aboard!" Warrick cried.

"I want to ride with Nicky!" Mindy cried, pulling on Nick's arm, tugging him towards an eagle.

Molly grunted and headed over to the eagle she had ridden before. It screeched and waddled away as best its legs would allow.

"Er…Molly, why don't you ride this one?" Liz offered, showing her a different, larger, stronger looking eagle.

Liz and Catherine took the eagle that was scared of Molly, and it balanced their weight, plus the weight of the chick, quite well. Warrick, Grissom, and Warrick's eaglet shared the noble eagle that Warrick and Liz had ridden earlier. Sara and Greg shared one as well, and Sara began to fill Greg in on her broccoli adventure, and Greg interjected with his heroic efforts in the demolition derby. Nick reluctantly went with Mindy on the final eagle, Poncho the eaglet safely in his lap.

And then, as Warrick whistled, the eagles took off over the forest, flying gloriously along through the bright blue sky.

"Hey! Hey what about me!" Brass called from where he stood, firmly on the ground. There had been no room for him, what with Molly being almost too much for her eagle to hold. The eagles continued, and with a sigh, Brass headed over to the demolition jeep and sat, waiting for the slim chance of return of an eagle that would allow him to go back to Las Vegas. But of course, that's what the others had been counting on.

* * *

**A/N: Hey guys! Well, umm...the North side ofmy town was kind of killed by tornados (It made National news, geez that's weird because nothing ever happens in our town) Anyway, I'm perfectly okay. (Thank GOD) But my friend's backyard was completely destroyed, although her house is untouched. But only 1 person died so okay then. Well, in other news. I turned 14 on the 7th of August. There is only ONE more chapter count it! ONE chapter left! But I promise it will be as funny as the rest of the chapters, and just as random. Also, I have some questions to ask you: Who is your favorite character of my creation? Liz (based off me) Molly, or Mindy? You might want to wait until after the final chapter, but...yeah, well, just something for you to think about in the wait for the final chapter. :) I had great fun writing this, and it's been excellent reading your reviews!**


	9. Homeward Bound

**Chapter Nine**

_Homeward Bound_

The flock of eagles landed gracefully in the in the parking lot of the LVPD crimelab, their wings spread out behind to slow themselves. Their riders dismounted, yet the eagles remained.

"Well Nicky," Grissom said, turning to look at the lab. "Welcome home." He smiled.

"Yeah, that's great…hey, uh…I gotta go. I gotta, erm…use the facilities."

Grissom stared at him blankly. "What?"

"You know! Use…the _facilities_…"

More blank stares.

"Oh for Pete's sake Grissom! I gotta go pee!"

"_Oooh…_" Grissom exclaimed as a sudden look of understanding dawned. Nick placed Poncho on his eagle's back and stalked off humming chitty-chitty-bang-bang under his breath. Grissom watched him go and Sara, Greg, Liz, Mindy, and Molly followed him. Grissom turned around once they were gone, to find Catherine and Warrick side-by-side, whispering fervently to each other.

"Swapping secrets?" Grissom asked, stepping up beside them. Catherine gasped suddenly and Warrick's calm composure changed for a split-second when he jumped.

"Er…_well_…Gil," Catherine began. Grissom could almost see the gears turning quickly in her head.

"It's no use lying to him Cath. You know he's got a built-in polygraph in that head of his." Warrick said to her before turning to Grissom. "Griss, Cath and I were thinking about moving back with the eagles. I mean-- we got these three orphaned eaglets, and somebody has to stay to protect them from crazy broccoli-induced shootings thanks to people like Sara. Besides, I speak eagle, remember? Who else is better equipped?"

Warrick let out a heavy sigh and Catherine was biting her lip.

"Well?" Catherine finally said after a minute of awkward silence.

"What?" Grissom asked, shrugging his shoulders.

"Do you approve?"

Grissom looked Catherine in the eye then turned his gaze to Warrick and back again.

"About you guys heading out into the wilderness to 'rough it' with the eagles on a mountaintop, yes, I approve greatly." He eyed them again. "Of anything else…I don't know if I'm that sure…I'll let you decide."

Catherine smiled, then reached up and gave Grissom a tight hug around the neck.

"Bye Gil," she said. She walked over to the eagle where the three baby eaglets (for Poncho had hopped over and joined the other two) were sitting on the back of an older eagle.

"See you later Griss," Warrick said, nodding at him and shaking his hand. He followed Catherine and mounted a different eagle.

"Bye!" Grissom said, waving at them as their eagles took off. The other three eagles followed them quickly, flapping their great wings and screeching.

With a final long look as the eagles headed off, Grissom turned and entered the crimelab.

* * *

Grissom entered the breakroom five minutes later to find Liz, Mindy, Molly, and Greg at the table. Sara was rummaging through the mini-fridge and Mindy seemed to be pouting about something-or-another, tapping a pencil against the table in a slow march.

"Where are Catherine and Warrick?" Liz asked once Grissom walked in, unaccompanied.

"They went to live with the eagles," he said solemnly, then turned to Mindy. "What's with her?"

Sara pulled out of the fridge, her back to them as she set something on the countertop and began to prepare it. "Liz told her that she couldn't follow Nick into the bathroom so she threw a temper tantrum and now she's pouting."

Sara then turned around and in her hands was a plate with a healthy stack of asparagus on top, smothered in cheese. She sat down across from Liz, next to Greg, who sat across from Mindy.

"Given up on broccoli, huh?" Grissom acknowledged, nodding at the new assortment of vegetables.

Sara nodded then said, after biting the head off one stalk of asparagus, "I'm not really a fan of having horrible gas."

"But why asparagus?" Greg asked her innocently.

Sara stood up so abruptly that her chair flew backwards. Her eyes were wild, her grip extremely tight on the plate and spork she was using. "MINE!" she snapped, hustling over to a far corner where she began to gobble her food so quickly it was amazing she hadn't choked.

"Are you sure you're all right?" Grissom posed the question as if Sara bursting into hysteria were an everyday occurrence.

She straightened than noticed that her mouth was gorged with asparagus. She turned away from the group, her cheeks flushing, and worked at finishing her bite.

"It's not like I like Nick anymore anyway…" Mindy said suddenly, still fidgeting with her pencil. "I bet he's gay. He's not married and he doesn't have a girlfriend. All the good looking ones are _gay._"

"Mindy!" Liz reprimanded sternly, sending her a warning glare.

"Well it's _true_!" She was quiet for a minute as Grissom sat down next to Liz. "I bet Grissom's gay too. But since he's your ex, Liz, I suppose he might be bi."

"_Mindy!_" Liz shouted, smacking the woman on the back of her head.

"Hey!" Mindy narrowed her eyebrow at her, her lip sticking out. She set her pencil down, still glaring at Liz. Then her gaze turned to Greg.

"Are you gay?" she asked him.

Greg raised an eyebrow and Sara began to snigger.

"Uhh…"

"I knew it. It's hopeless. I'll never find a good-looking guy that's not gay." Mindy wailed, threw her hands up, then set her head on the table, shaking with false howls.

The group clapped their hands to their ears as Mindy continued to howl.

"Hey!" Greg shouted above the noise, "Hey Mindy! How'd you like me to show you how _not _gay I am?"

Mindy stopped and sniffed, raising her head up from the table surface.

"W-What?"

"Why-don't-I-show-you-how-not-gay-I-am?" Greg said, quick and simple.

Mindy's mouth tipped into a smile.

"Okay."

"You're not serious!" Liz cried, her mouth hanging open along with Grissom and Sara's.

Greg looked offended. "I am too serious!" Then he winked at Liz's stunned expression.

Mindy's smile was humongous, and her crooked teeth were highly visible.

"Come on Mindy. I know the perfect spot." Greg stood up and exited the room, Mindy following very close behind.

The room was quiet.

"Umm…" Liz said after several tense moments, "Who else is as concerned about this as I am?"

Everyone, including Molly, raised their hands.

* * *

"Okay, right through these two heavy, silver doors is just the perfect spot." Greg said proudly, smiling.

"Oh really?" Mindy raised an eyebrow, her face devious. "You know, I was just kidding about that 'all the good looking ones are gay' thing. Sure, a lot of them _are _but you do come across the occasional straight good-looking ones…" Her voice lowered and she grabbed the front of Greg's shirt. "Like you…"

Greg was quick to start smooth-talking his way out.

"Uh-uh Mindy. Wait until we get inside. Ladies first,"

Mindy let go of his shirt, still smiling, and swept through the two silver doors. But before she should get out the words, "You want to make out in the morgue?" Greg had slammed the silver doors behind her and stuck a chair beneath the handles.

* * *

"Oh no…Why are you smiling? What did you do? And why are you smiling?" Liz sprung the barrage of questions on Greg as soon as he stepped into the room. "And _where _is Mindy?"

Greg was grinning, his hands in his pockets and rocking on the balls of his feet.

"What did you do?" Liz pressed further, standing up with her hands on the table.

"_Something_…" Greg said slyly, looking around at them, still smiling.

"You didn't make out with her, did you?" Liz asked, closing her eyes as if to pray.

Greg shook his head and Liz's face cracked into a smile.

"What did you do?" she asked, more eager this time.

"I sort of…put her somewhere…" He looked to each of their faces.

"Where?" She had never looked this happy.

"Molly knows." Greg said, nodding at her.

Liz's mouth dropped open. "No _way!_" she cried. She clapped her hands to her mouth and laughed through them. "No way!"

"You shut her in the morgue?" Grissom asked, disbelievingly.

Greg's grin was smug.

"Don't you think you should go get her before she starts screaming and we have Eckl—oh wait, he's dead." Sara said.

"I'll go get her anyway…" Greg said, turning.

A few minutes later, Greg was back, Mindy tagging behind him. But she didn't look like Mindy. Of course, her hair was the same and her eyes, and her everything to the point where it was obviously Mindy, but her mouth was set grimly and her broad shoulders sagged. Her eyes seemed dimmer than usual and she looked rather depressed.

"Mindy?" Liz said tentatively.

She grunted, then in a low voice she said, "I see freaky dead people…"

Liz's eyes widened and her mouth smiled again.

"GREG! I could KISS you!"

Greg opened his mouth to say something, but a sudden high, sharp, heavily accented, British voice spoke first.

"This is absolutely preposterous! My entire identity, character back-story, and what not—plagiarized! I can't believe this! I feel violated!"

Everyone in the room swiveled their heads toward…Molly.

"Y-You-You _talked!_" Liz gasped, her eyes widening even further than before.

"Well of _course _I talked! What did you think, I was going to go around grunting and saying 'I see freaky dead people!' for the rest of my life? For goodness sakes…of course not…Ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous. I'm going to have to change my look and personality and my _label._ I'm now the sleek sophisticated Molly Turner—English extraordinaire."

Mindy grunted.

"Help me wipe this hideous makeup off…black eye shadow, hideous. And black lipstick? What was I thinking? Hand me a tissue will you Elizabeth?"

Liz did so, staring transfixed at Molly.

"Er…well, Molly. You'll have to put new makeup on in the car because we have to go back to the airport to catch that flight back to Chicago. We have to make sure Jason hasn't blown anybody up."

"Oh bother…" Molly rubbed the tissue against her black lips. "It won't come off. I think it's been on there so long it's stained on."

"Molly!"

"Oh, yes, yes, right. Alrighty then. Farewell my Las Vegan counterparts! Until we meet again! Cheerio!" Molly stepped out of the room, waving the tissue behind her. Greg waved Mindy out after Molly so the Las Vegans were alone in the room with Liz.

"Well…I guess…this is goodbye. Grissom," Liz nodded at him.

He returned the gesture, saying, "You're an excellent CSI Liz, and you're a great supervisor for your team."

Liz smiled, "Thanks, and I'm sorry about Mindy being so hassling."

Grissom shrugged. "No worries."

Liz turned to Sara and nodded at her, "Sara, goodbye."

Sara smiled at her, keeping her lips closed so as to not show the mouthful of asparagus. She swallowed her bite then said, "See you some other time. I'd like to come to Chicago maybe one time, to see what your lab is like."

"It's not much." Liz then turned finally to Greg. "Thank you Greg. I can't thank you enough for getting Mindy to actually _shut up!_"

Greg smiled at her. "So…er…about that kiss…"

Sara suddenly began to choke on her asparagus, and a loud beeping noise filled the air. BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! Greg dashed over to Sara and began pounding on her back. Grissom and Liz held their hands to their ears, their faces scrunched against the noise.

"That's my car alarm! Mindy or Molly must have set it off! Bye everyone!" Liz shouted above the racket.

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

Grissom waved at her as Liz stepped out of the breakroom door.

* * *

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

Liz opened her eyes to her alarm clock blaring. With a heavy groan, she raised her hand and let it drop heavily onto the off button.

"Uggh…" she moaned, standing up and catching sight of her hair in her vanity mirror. It was a wreck.

She trudged into the bathroom of her apartment to get ready for her the uneventful day ahead, trying to contemplate her extremely odd dream, wondering what all the broccoli was about and if it had anything to do with the leftover barbecued pork from her parents' house that she had eaten for dinner last night.

After her shower her hair looked better, so she quickly towel dried it, dressed in a light blue shirt and jeans and put her hair in a ponytail.

"Better," she said to herself. Then she grabbed her keys and purse and headed out the door.

Once getting through the heavy Chicago morning traffic, work was just as she had expected it to be: paperwork, paperwork, Mindy annoying the hell out of her, Molly doing nothing but grunt, and Jason coming close to blowing up the entire lab. Why she hadn't fired any of them was a mystery, but they _were _good CSI's despite how their general personalities proved them to be.

In her office, Liz gawked only half-heartedly at the gigantic stack of overdue supervisor reports on her desk. There were messages on her telephone from the leading homicide detective, Detective Jamison, each holding information about three different cases. Liz quickly got the information about the cases into a casefile and handed them out to Molly, Mindy, and Jason.

Then she was left alone with the paperwork. Fun. It would probably take all night.

Just as predicted, Liz stayed late that night. Mindy, Jason, and Molly had all checked in for the night. Mindy had collected her paycheck and was at the moment in the locker-room, getting something or another before leaving. Molly was who-knew-where and Jason had already gone home.

Liz sighed heavily, milling over more papers, when suddenly her phone rang. '_Please be that hot guy from the coffee-shop I swapped numbers with…please oh please oh please…'_

"Hello? Chicago Crime Lab. This is Supervisor Elizabeth Keller speaking, how may I help you?"

"Liz?"

"My God, Grissom?..."

**_THE END_ **

_

* * *

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A/N: I'm gonna miss you guys! It has been SO fun to write this story! Maybe I should eat leftover barbecued pork more often, hmm? ;) I hope you laughed as much reading it as I did writing it! And I appreciate _everybody's_ reviews! They were wonderful and inspiring:)


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